


Coffee and Chilli Chocolate

by polche



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Gen, One Shot, Trans Character, trans male Kliff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-11 08:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11144553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polche/pseuds/polche
Summary: Kliff has a bad day, but his friends make it better.





	Coffee and Chilli Chocolate

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little vent thing. Part of my friend and my "Bad Modern AU Headcanons".  
> There's some Kliff/Tobin in there, but it's not relevant so I didn't tag it.

The phone buzzed itself off the nightstand, landing on the carpet with a thud. Kliff growled. He hadn't been asleep, exactly, but the thought of doing anything other than lie curled up in bed made him want to burn everything. With a loud groan, he leaned over the side of his bed to pick up his phone, trying his best to ignore the searing pain in his guts.

 

Tobinator:

(14:27) yo coffee bean you still up for movie night?

(14:27) alms asking what you want for snacks

 

In the blissful haze of not being entirely awake, Kliff had almost managed to forget he had responsibilities. He really wanted to tell Tobin to fuck off, stay in bed forever and maybe waste away. It felt better in his head than getting up, but he did anyway.

He changed into day clothes, choosing a loose dress shirt with a gothic-looking flower print and his favorite red check trousers, and he didn't give a damn how emo he looked as he left his pajamas to soak in the sink.

He sent a response while he set a some water to boil.

 

Klifford:

(14:54) Children's souls

(14:54) Younger the better

 

He grabbed a mug and dumped instant coffee in it, straight from the container. He stared dead-eyed at the water boiler until the light in the little screen at the base changed from red to green, and a few seconds longer until he realized he couldn't pour his coffee just by thinking about it very hard. He sighed aggressively and made himself put in the effort.

The smell of fresh coffee filled his nose and made him feel the slightest bit alive again, enough to give Tobin a less facetious answer.

 

Klifford:

(14:59) Or chocolate if they're out

 

Tobinator:

(15:00) awesome alms off

(15:00) see you there

 

Kliff took some painkillers from his medical kit, threw them in his mouth and washed them down with the coffee. It nearly scorched his throat when he swallowed, but he liked it that way, in the same way he liked how bitter it tasted black. He would have made himself an espresso of some sort, but he wasn't going to get a fancy machine when the amount of coffee he liked to drink would likely bankrupt him even with his parents' financial support.

He sent another message, to the one person he felt comfortable complaining to. Gray wouldn't know what to say, Tobin wouldn't understand and he didn't  _ want _ to bother Alm.

 

Klifford:

(15:12) Kill me

 

Faye(◕ᴗ◕✿) :

(15:12) Oh no! What's up??

 

Klifford:

(15:12) Hell is real

(15:12) God is dead

(15:13) Life is pain

 

Faye(◕ᴗ◕✿) :

(15:14) Oh honey! It's ok, Alm's coming back with lots of chocolate, and you can focus on the movie and you won't have to worry about a thing!

 

Klifford:

(15:15) Tnx  


 

He made another cup of coffee and downed that one, then decided to make himself presentable. He brushed his hair, which had started to grow out again already, knotted terribly and wouldn't lie flat no matter what he did. He should have known better than to check the mirror, but he had to know how much like shit he looked, and it was bad. He was pale, he looked exhausted, and the Kliff looking back at him looked like he wanted to murder someone. He looked exactly how he felt. At least he didn't look any worse, and the painkillers were starting to take the edge off, as well.

Actually moving would probably help as well, but thinking about it just made him angry.

He packed a bag with the essentials for times like these, including a book and earphones so he could shut himself off, because his friends deserved better than to put up with him being a salty little bitch. He debated eating, but the thought of it made him feel ill, so he decided to just leave it until he got to Alm's, so he skipped that, brushed his teeth and put on some sneakers.

 

Tobin let him into Alm's apartment, moving in for a hug in the doorframe. Kliff froze, all his hackles raised and every cell in his body screaming to go away.

“Don't touch me,” he hissed before Tobin's hands could reach him.

Tobin startled and backed away.

“...Don't...” Kliff gesticulated vaguely. “Just don't, right now.”

Tobin nodded and headed for the kitchen.

Kliff just managed to take off his coat and shoes when Alm himself came back, carrying two shopping bags of snacks and drink.

“Our deliverer!” Gray shouted from the sofa further inside.

“Alm! Alm! Alm!” both Tobin and Faye cheered.

“It's just snacks,” Alm said embarrassed, looking away, his eyes happening to land on Kliff. “Oh, this is the one you like, right?”

He took a big bar of dark chilli chocolate out of one of the bags and handed it to Kliff, who took it with a nod.

“I've got a few more, feel free to root around whenever you want another.”

Kliff nodded again. “Thanks.”

He walked stiffly into the living room, which had been reorganized so the sofa and chairs were arranged in a semicircle around the television. The middle seat on the sofa was Gray's, and he would be flanked by Tobin and Alm, when they sat down. Tobin and Faye, who would be sitting on the chair nearest to Alm, were preparing drinks and snacks in the kitchen. Kliff's seat should have been the remaining chair, but he sat down on the floor in front of Tobin's seat on the sofa instead.

It wasn't long before Faye and Tobin put their hard work down centrally on the floor and everyone sat down. The collection of rented DVDs also lay spread out on the floor.

“So, which one would you guys like to watch first?” Alm asked.

“Action Surge 3, of course!” Gray shouted first. “You gotta get your blood pumping first off.”

“I'm more interested in Deathfaces: The Revenge, actually, if that's alright. It should still be plenty exciting,” Faye said cheerfully.

Tobin and Gray side-eyed her, but Kliff found the horror movie more appealing than Gray's generic action, and made a noise to that effect. He wanted to see some murder blood today.

“Damn, what's wrong with you two?” Gray mumbled.

Faye pouted, looking to Alm for back-up.

“I... think maybe something a little milder might be best to start off with? Some action is good, but we should probably work our way up?” he said diplomatically.

Faye sighed and nodded. “You're right, Alm. It would be much more effective late at night,” she added with a little smile.

“You  _ demon _ ,” Gray said with mock offense.

Kliff opened his chocolate bar, broke off a piece and put it in his mouth, the strong, sharp flavors soothing him just like the coffee earlier. He leaned back against Tobin's leg, and Tobin responded eagerly by stroking his hair.

Kliff was just a little bit happy he'd gotten out of bed after all.


End file.
